The Man Who Attempted to Assassinate Donald Trump

Recently, a man in West Palm Beach, Florida, made headlines for his attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Ryan Wesley Routh was indicted on Tuesday on an attempted assassination charge, after he staked out Trump for 12 hours on his golf course and wrote of his desire to kill him.

The upgraded charges in the five-count indictment reflect the Justice Department’s assessment that Routh methodically plotted to kill Trump, aiming a rifle through the shrubbery surrounding Trump’s golf course in Florida. Routh left behind a note describing his intention to kill the Republican nominee.

The case has been assigned to Aileen Cannon, a Trump-appointed federal judge, who has generated intense scrutiny for her handling of cases involving Trump in the past. The attempted assassination charges carry a potential life sentence in the event of a conviction.

The potential shooting was thwarted when a member of Trump’s Secret Service protective detail spotted Routh aiming a rifle through the golf course fence line. Routh did not fire any rounds and was subsequently stopped by law enforcement in a neighboring county.

Routh now faces various charges, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Prosecutors also revealed that Routh kept a handwritten list of venues where Trump had appeared or was expected to be present.

During a search of Routh’s car, authorities found six cellphones, including one that showed a Google search on how to travel from Palm Beach County to Mexico. Additionally, a notebook in his car contained criticism of the Russian and Chinese governments, along with notes about joining the war on behalf of Ukraine.

Routh’s motives seem to stem from his book, where he criticized Trump’s foreign policy, particularly in Ukraine, mentioning that Iran was “free to assassinate Trump” for his actions regarding the Iran nuclear deal.

This case has garnered significant attention, with both federal and state authorities now involved in the investigation. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.